'No more mugs until thefts stop': Coffee brews trouble at Tesla plant

Tesla's Berlin Gigafactory confronts Ikea coffee cup thefts amid broader controversies over working conditions and environmental impact

Not for a review, operational tweaks, or any chats about streamlining efficiency; a staff meeting at Tesla’s Berlin factory was called last week to discuss a rather ‘pressing’ matter.

At the meeting’s kick-off, Andre Thierig, plant manager at Tesla’s Berlin Gigafactory, dropped a bombshell: “I’ll throw you a number — 65,000.” While the staffers guessed in vain that this was some production target figure, Andre revealed that this was the staggering count of coffee cups purchased since plant production began.

“I’m just about done approving orders for more coffee cups,” he lamented, saying, “That’s right, 65,000 mugs! Statistically speaking, with 12,000 of you on board, each has already amassed five Ikea coffee cups at home.”

Frustrated by rampant theft of mugs, Andre declared, “There would be no more cutlery in break rooms until the mug thefts stopped.” According to a report in the German newspaper Handelsblatt, Andre’s light-hearted jibe drew chuckles and applause from the workforce.

Tesla's Berlin plant in the spotlight

Tesla’s Gigafactory in Berlin recently found itself in the limelight after employees raised concerns about working conditions, citing long hours and a “culture of fear”. Workers also pointed to several workplace accidents.

IG Metall, the German union representing Tesla’s Gigafactory workforce, noted that many employees are hesitant to discuss their concerns due to non-disclosure agreements that they signed along with their contracts.

Separately, a self-declared anti-capitalist group Disrupt has been calling for the closure of the plant, saying electric cars are ‘neither eco-friendly nor sustainable’. A recent viral video showing clashes between Disrupt activists and law enforcement has only intensified the controversy.

“The production of electric cars leaves a colossal ecological footprint by guzzling resources, exacerbating the global climate quagmire,” says Disrupt on its website.